Kira Nerys’s Reviews > Space Opera > Status Update

Bird in the Hand by Anne McCaffrey - interesting premise, but I think it would have been better were it a bit longer. Or something. I always want to add commas to McCaffrey's writing.

Calling Them Home by Jody Lynn Nye - the contained space of the beacon worked well for the contained format of the short story. Really liked it.

Saskia by Charles de Lint - one of the longer and also better stories of the collection. Mysterious, magical, everyday.

Songchild by Robin Wayne Bailey - interestingly of its time. That is to say, a fantasy story of a well-meaning youth who finds something of power, aims to use it to do good, causes harm, and ultimately learns to rectify their mistake--that feels very '90s. I wasn't into it, but it was decent at being what it was.

A Song of Strange Revenge, by Josepha Sherman - hooked from the first sentence but got a little lost near the end. Interesting stylistic choices with the language. The "why I wrote it" paragraph at the end confused me more than the story did. Nice job implying breadth in a short text.

Our Father's Gold by Elisabeth Waters - I'm sorry but I thought the writing was lackluster from the get-go. There's something interesting in the premise, but I think Percy Jackson tackled a similar concept with significantly more success.

Thunderbird Road by Leslie Fish - quite liked it, 4 stars, interesting exploration of the conflict and cohesion of mystical and rational, also just a cool, kinda suspenseful, powerful story.

Scarborough Fair by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough - interesting choice to frame it in the author's first person--I'm not sure I loved it. Would have appreciated if she'd been able to print the song lyrics, to help me understand the riddle/references. (The details - I do know the song.)

Soulfedge Rock by Suzette Haden Elgin - 3 stars, interesting vignette about a family.

Ever After by Paula Lalish - odd piece of satire; I felt like I fell to hands and knees after all the times Lalish pulled the rug out from under me. Mostly a meh read. Yet another story that would have benefitted from a different title/cover/premise to the anthology.